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Only Love #1
A Solitary Romance
Daydreamer Katrina Crimshaw just met the man of her dreams, again. A chance encounter with Robert LaSalla, the co-worker she admired from afar years before, brings the past alive for the shy auditor. Will she be able to juggle her secret life with her career and changing work situation?
Katrina leads a comfortable life with a loving family and close work relationships. She finds an outlet for her creative side by blogging about her passion for jewelry under a pseudo name. There's no room for romance in her life until she runs into Robert LaSalla, the man who caught her eye when she was just out of college and still stinging from a broken engagement. Although she hasn't seen him in years, he still intimidates her and sets her heart pounding. As unexpected opportunities arise from her blog, she finds herself drawn to a charming British museum director, while unforeseen circumstances throw Robert back in her path and upset her well-ordered life. When passion flares, will she let love slip through her fingers again? A Solitary Romance is a clean romance that will set readers’ pulses racing.
Katrina leads a comfortable life with a loving family and close work relationships. She finds an outlet for her creative side by blogging about her passion for jewelry under a pseudo name. There's no room for romance in her life until she runs into Robert LaSalla, the man who caught her eye when she was just out of college and still stinging from a broken engagement. Although she hasn't seen him in years, he still intimidates her and sets her heart pounding. As unexpected opportunities arise from her blog, she finds herself drawn to a charming British museum director, while unforeseen circumstances throw Robert back in her path and upset her well-ordered life. When passion flares, will she let love slip through her fingers again? A Solitary Romance is a clean romance that will set readers’ pulses racing.
203 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 30, 2016
9 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
November 7, 2016
Loved it. The entire series is great
September 1, 2016
Violet Sparks, author of A Solitary Romance, Book 1 of The Only Love Series, draws much attention in her recent book tour. What attracts me to her interview is her honesty about the books and authors that influenced her life and writing. These days it is common for authors to rattle off a list of prominent titles and names to impress their readers. But the key is to clarify exactly what crucial elements of a writer and/or a piece of writing have created the most important and everlasting impact.
The following three questions look similar, and some may say the author’s answers do, too. However, observing the slight differences between the answers, one detects an image of the “ideal author” and why his or her writing style is inspiring to Sparks as an artist.
Hence I urge all aspiring authors to sit down and pretend to be interviewed. A list of questions is provided below. Write down your answers and compare them carefully. Discover what is in you – you are most likely to be surprised.
—–
Q: What books have most influenced your life?
Violet Sparks (VS): The Bible has had the biggest impact on my life. The Practice of the Presence of God by Brother Lawrence, a Carmelite monk who lived in the 1600s, is an amazing book that I can read over and over. Coming Out of the Ice by Victor Herman also affected me – it’s a wonderful tribute to the human spirit. I can’t leave out the books by Dickens, Austen, and the Brontë sisters, which I read in my youth. Their works definitely lent an idealism to my mindset (which does not seem to belong to this century!), and shaped my ideas of what romance and love should be.
Q: What books/authors have influenced your writing?
VS: I’ve always loved how Charles Dickens could weave a story together with unforgettable characters and intersecting plots. I appreciate how he inserted humour in his books as well. I admire the way William Faulkner packed a punch and how the Brontës created amazing atmospheres, including unexpected twists in their stories. The contemporary author, Carlos Ruiz Zafon, is a master of characters, atmosphere, and storylines.
Q: Which writers inspire you?
VS: So many authors inspire me. At the top of the list are Charles Dickens, William Faulkner, Jane Austen, the Brontës, Carlos Ruiz Zafon, and Irène Némirovsky for her spectacular, unfinished, Suite Française. I went through a stage where I only read history or biographies, and I greatly admire the work of David McCullough. His books read like novels and bring the people of the past alive. I always appreciate any writer who can surprise me with a plot twist or unexpected outcome.
—–
Questions to ask yourself as an author:
Regarding your “ideal author”:
1. What books have most influenced your life?
2. What books/authors have influenced your writing?
3. Which writers inspire you?
Regarding your craft as a writer:
1. What was the hardest part of writing your latest book?
2. What did you enjoy most about writing your latest book?
3. What was the specific writing style in your latest book?
4. What genre do you consider your book(s)?
Regarding you as an artist:
1. How did you come up with the title of your latest book?
2. Where did your love of writing come from?
3. Have you ever hated something you wrote?
Thanks to Book and the Bear for these questions, which I have slightly modified for the purpose of writing this article.
The following three questions look similar, and some may say the author’s answers do, too. However, observing the slight differences between the answers, one detects an image of the “ideal author” and why his or her writing style is inspiring to Sparks as an artist.
Hence I urge all aspiring authors to sit down and pretend to be interviewed. A list of questions is provided below. Write down your answers and compare them carefully. Discover what is in you – you are most likely to be surprised.
—–
Q: What books have most influenced your life?
Violet Sparks (VS): The Bible has had the biggest impact on my life. The Practice of the Presence of God by Brother Lawrence, a Carmelite monk who lived in the 1600s, is an amazing book that I can read over and over. Coming Out of the Ice by Victor Herman also affected me – it’s a wonderful tribute to the human spirit. I can’t leave out the books by Dickens, Austen, and the Brontë sisters, which I read in my youth. Their works definitely lent an idealism to my mindset (which does not seem to belong to this century!), and shaped my ideas of what romance and love should be.
Q: What books/authors have influenced your writing?
VS: I’ve always loved how Charles Dickens could weave a story together with unforgettable characters and intersecting plots. I appreciate how he inserted humour in his books as well. I admire the way William Faulkner packed a punch and how the Brontës created amazing atmospheres, including unexpected twists in their stories. The contemporary author, Carlos Ruiz Zafon, is a master of characters, atmosphere, and storylines.
Q: Which writers inspire you?
VS: So many authors inspire me. At the top of the list are Charles Dickens, William Faulkner, Jane Austen, the Brontës, Carlos Ruiz Zafon, and Irène Némirovsky for her spectacular, unfinished, Suite Française. I went through a stage where I only read history or biographies, and I greatly admire the work of David McCullough. His books read like novels and bring the people of the past alive. I always appreciate any writer who can surprise me with a plot twist or unexpected outcome.
—–
Questions to ask yourself as an author:
Regarding your “ideal author”:
1. What books have most influenced your life?
2. What books/authors have influenced your writing?
3. Which writers inspire you?
Regarding your craft as a writer:
1. What was the hardest part of writing your latest book?
2. What did you enjoy most about writing your latest book?
3. What was the specific writing style in your latest book?
4. What genre do you consider your book(s)?
Regarding you as an artist:
1. How did you come up with the title of your latest book?
2. Where did your love of writing come from?
3. Have you ever hated something you wrote?
Thanks to Book and the Bear for these questions, which I have slightly modified for the purpose of writing this article.
August 11, 2016
Original Review Here
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
One thing people have always mentioned in my reviews is how honest I am. I am not going to change that now: this is possible one of the worst books I have ever read.
To start with, Robert is abusive, intimidating and harasses Katrina throughout the entire book, reducing her to tears more than once. His emotions are practically bi-polar with how quickly they can change from one extreme to another. He pushes Kate emotionally, touches her without permission and right at the end, really doesn’t give her the option of saying no.
And she still wants him! So much for a character determined she wouldn’t let a man screw her over again. Not to mention, right at the end, she conveniently forgets that she had a budding relationship with a man who treated her well.
Katrina’s character was annoying and shallow. She lets herself be pushed around by this man and displays no signs of strength or even having a mind of her own. The narration spends half the book calling her “girl”, a patronising and condescending description of a woman who is supposed to be successful. There is nothing driven about Kate’s character and I really didn’t care about her.
The narration itself was weak. There were two occasions where another view point was randomly inserted. This was mainly done so the reader could see just how much these men “admired” and “felt” for her, despite her having no attractive traits. This change of narration was unnecessary and jarred the reader. Another issue was nicknames: there is only so many “girl” or “honey” I can take.
For a short book, especially one that needed a lot more character development, there was far too much description of jewellery. It felt the author had learnt about the pieces in question and felt the need to throw everything in, despite it adding nothing to the story.
The final thing that made me cringe was the names. Kate writes under the name of “Violet Sparks.” That’s also the author’s name. To my mind, Kate was a self-insertion of the author wanting to be popular, successful and desired by all men.
Women are objectified and emotionally abused throughout this novel. Dialogue is forced and the characters weak. Certainly not a recommendation!
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
One thing people have always mentioned in my reviews is how honest I am. I am not going to change that now: this is possible one of the worst books I have ever read.
To start with, Robert is abusive, intimidating and harasses Katrina throughout the entire book, reducing her to tears more than once. His emotions are practically bi-polar with how quickly they can change from one extreme to another. He pushes Kate emotionally, touches her without permission and right at the end, really doesn’t give her the option of saying no.
And she still wants him! So much for a character determined she wouldn’t let a man screw her over again. Not to mention, right at the end, she conveniently forgets that she had a budding relationship with a man who treated her well.
Katrina’s character was annoying and shallow. She lets herself be pushed around by this man and displays no signs of strength or even having a mind of her own. The narration spends half the book calling her “girl”, a patronising and condescending description of a woman who is supposed to be successful. There is nothing driven about Kate’s character and I really didn’t care about her.
The narration itself was weak. There were two occasions where another view point was randomly inserted. This was mainly done so the reader could see just how much these men “admired” and “felt” for her, despite her having no attractive traits. This change of narration was unnecessary and jarred the reader. Another issue was nicknames: there is only so many “girl” or “honey” I can take.
For a short book, especially one that needed a lot more character development, there was far too much description of jewellery. It felt the author had learnt about the pieces in question and felt the need to throw everything in, despite it adding nothing to the story.
The final thing that made me cringe was the names. Kate writes under the name of “Violet Sparks.” That’s also the author’s name. To my mind, Kate was a self-insertion of the author wanting to be popular, successful and desired by all men.
Women are objectified and emotionally abused throughout this novel. Dialogue is forced and the characters weak. Certainly not a recommendation!
August 21, 2016
Original review posted here.
Note: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Don't get me wrong, I love a good drama, and I think this book has just the right amount of it. However, the plot, characters, and writing style were disappointing, generating a one star for this novel.
The story did not give me a great first impression. The novel opened up with a scene of a grown man acting like a Saturday morning cartoon character. Yes, I understand there are characters that are of a more comedic nature, but the whole scene just felt out of place, especially since the plot did not dive further into that particular character's background. Needless to say, it did not hook me in at all. The rest of the plot is underdeveloped. The general story line is there; a romance full of misunderstandings, soul-searching, and trust issues, but I still have lots of unanswered questions.
Character building is another area on which this book needs more work. It felt like some of the actions that the characters carried out were rash and unreasonable. I understood why the characters felt the way they did (because they are obvious reactions), but I didn't understand why they acted or responded the way they did.
Most unfortunately, I was unable to understand the motives of the main character, and could not relate to her at all. I like the idea of her; plain Jane auditor by day, superstar blogger by night! But how her actual character is communicated paled in comparison to the model I'd imagined in my mind. Again, this links back to weak character building.
I'm also just not a big fan of this author's writing style. This may just be me, but it annoyed me that there were more than enough nicknames for each character-- Katrina, Kate, Katie; James, Jim, Jimmy. It is unnecessary and confusing. I understand that nicknames are indications of intimacy, but they are also used in narration (the book is written in third person), which did not exactly make for an enjoyable reading experience. As well, characters would often be named by their profession, which seemed highly impersonal and rude, in a way. Kiki, the main character's best friend is called "the receptionist" or "the Hawaiian" several times throughout the book.
Although I wouldn't recommend this one, I'm not deterred from giving other Violet Spark novels a chance.
Note: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Don't get me wrong, I love a good drama, and I think this book has just the right amount of it. However, the plot, characters, and writing style were disappointing, generating a one star for this novel.
The story did not give me a great first impression. The novel opened up with a scene of a grown man acting like a Saturday morning cartoon character. Yes, I understand there are characters that are of a more comedic nature, but the whole scene just felt out of place, especially since the plot did not dive further into that particular character's background. Needless to say, it did not hook me in at all. The rest of the plot is underdeveloped. The general story line is there; a romance full of misunderstandings, soul-searching, and trust issues, but I still have lots of unanswered questions.
Character building is another area on which this book needs more work. It felt like some of the actions that the characters carried out were rash and unreasonable. I understood why the characters felt the way they did (because they are obvious reactions), but I didn't understand why they acted or responded the way they did.
Most unfortunately, I was unable to understand the motives of the main character, and could not relate to her at all. I like the idea of her; plain Jane auditor by day, superstar blogger by night! But how her actual character is communicated paled in comparison to the model I'd imagined in my mind. Again, this links back to weak character building.
I'm also just not a big fan of this author's writing style. This may just be me, but it annoyed me that there were more than enough nicknames for each character-- Katrina, Kate, Katie; James, Jim, Jimmy. It is unnecessary and confusing. I understand that nicknames are indications of intimacy, but they are also used in narration (the book is written in third person), which did not exactly make for an enjoyable reading experience. As well, characters would often be named by their profession, which seemed highly impersonal and rude, in a way. Kiki, the main character's best friend is called "the receptionist" or "the Hawaiian" several times throughout the book.
Although I wouldn't recommend this one, I'm not deterred from giving other Violet Spark novels a chance.
July 18, 2016
I was not crazy about this book from the beginning. I found the business world monotonous and the descriptions of Kate's jobs-jewelry and auditing-a little overdone. It was sometimes hard to follow since I have no background there, and the vocabulary used, didn't always help. But the detail on more common items like interiors of stores and restaurants and Dior dresses was very feminine and lovely.
But it wasn't long before the characters began to draw me in. I found Kiki rather annoying at first, Kate insecure, and Robert nothing but a source of distraction for everyone. However, the more I read, I was able to grow more interested in the character's backstories and interactions. Still, Kate was so, so daydreamy that I found her a little annoying and hard to relate to. Her spacing out was used almost more as a storytelling device.
While I wondered why the author had chosen the omnipotent point of view and was always telling instead of showing, some of her methods made more sense by the end of the book. She actually was able to use them both to help build some good conflict.
My main complaint is that, even for a romance, there really was no other theme. Kate's struggles with an investment, yes. Her interest and investment in jewels, yes. But otherwise, everything revolved around how Kate would nearly pass out every time she was around Robert and how she gave him mood swings and chronic jealousy. It could be funny at times, but overall, a little much, even though it was well-written. I was impressed when some themes of faith were introduced and some of the characters really seemed to bond.
But I was disappointed with the ending. It was very typical and, while also well written, was too sensual throughout. Realistic, maybe, but not the sort of thing I enjoy reading. Every time someone sat down or shook hands, there were fireworks. While everything did remain clean, it was still a little much for my taste. Less is more.
Overall, some interesting characters in an adult business world setting with a typical, but somewhat endearing thread of romance. I would only recommend this for 18+. If you have a particular interest or adaptation in vintage jewelry or auditing Asian investments, that will help you a lot as well.
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
But it wasn't long before the characters began to draw me in. I found Kiki rather annoying at first, Kate insecure, and Robert nothing but a source of distraction for everyone. However, the more I read, I was able to grow more interested in the character's backstories and interactions. Still, Kate was so, so daydreamy that I found her a little annoying and hard to relate to. Her spacing out was used almost more as a storytelling device.
While I wondered why the author had chosen the omnipotent point of view and was always telling instead of showing, some of her methods made more sense by the end of the book. She actually was able to use them both to help build some good conflict.
My main complaint is that, even for a romance, there really was no other theme. Kate's struggles with an investment, yes. Her interest and investment in jewels, yes. But otherwise, everything revolved around how Kate would nearly pass out every time she was around Robert and how she gave him mood swings and chronic jealousy. It could be funny at times, but overall, a little much, even though it was well-written. I was impressed when some themes of faith were introduced and some of the characters really seemed to bond.
But I was disappointed with the ending. It was very typical and, while also well written, was too sensual throughout. Realistic, maybe, but not the sort of thing I enjoy reading. Every time someone sat down or shook hands, there were fireworks. While everything did remain clean, it was still a little much for my taste. Less is more.
Overall, some interesting characters in an adult business world setting with a typical, but somewhat endearing thread of romance. I would only recommend this for 18+. If you have a particular interest or adaptation in vintage jewelry or auditing Asian investments, that will help you a lot as well.
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
August 15, 2016
Disclaimer: I received a review copy of A Solitary Romance in exchange for my honest review.
I have mixed feelings on this book. The story has so much potential, but it really needs some editing and revising. Words were capitalized when they didn't need to be, and the narrative about each character was prone to being either too wordy, or mixed-up who was who and what they brought to the plot.
Something that I raised my eyebrow about throughout the book was the fact that the author used her own name as Katrina's costume jewelry/personal blog pseudonym. Ballsy, perhaps?
I found both Kiki, Katrina's friend from the office (repeatedly she is referred to as the receptionist, which she is, but I found it unnecessary to mention that in nearly all of the dialogue between her and the characters), and Katrina to be annoying. At times they could be mature in their office setting, but mostly they acted like high school girls.
I do like the romance that was trying to be conveyed, but I feel the author went in directions that just didn't work. Her inclusion of faith seemed uncomfortable between the proceeding chapters.
I do not find this to be a sweet romance at all. I would give it a heat rating of 2.5, especially with the ending. Clean romance? Borderline. No cussing and no sex, but the ending and overall tone of the book should be not read by anyone under the age of 18.
Finally, I am looking forward to reading the next two books in the series to see how the various characters grow. I hope that the author is working on honing her craft more and has invested in an editor or two and a beta reader.
I have mixed feelings on this book. The story has so much potential, but it really needs some editing and revising. Words were capitalized when they didn't need to be, and the narrative about each character was prone to being either too wordy, or mixed-up who was who and what they brought to the plot.
Something that I raised my eyebrow about throughout the book was the fact that the author used her own name as Katrina's costume jewelry/personal blog pseudonym. Ballsy, perhaps?
I found both Kiki, Katrina's friend from the office (repeatedly she is referred to as the receptionist, which she is, but I found it unnecessary to mention that in nearly all of the dialogue between her and the characters), and Katrina to be annoying. At times they could be mature in their office setting, but mostly they acted like high school girls.
I do like the romance that was trying to be conveyed, but I feel the author went in directions that just didn't work. Her inclusion of faith seemed uncomfortable between the proceeding chapters.
I do not find this to be a sweet romance at all. I would give it a heat rating of 2.5, especially with the ending. Clean romance? Borderline. No cussing and no sex, but the ending and overall tone of the book should be not read by anyone under the age of 18.
Finally, I am looking forward to reading the next two books in the series to see how the various characters grow. I hope that the author is working on honing her craft more and has invested in an editor or two and a beta reader.
August 20, 2016
Will idealist Katrina Crimshaw let love get away from her due the fire burning too hot—so as to say. Katrina’s regimented ways are turned topsy-turvy when Robert is thrust into her pathway again, which just happens to be around the same time her blogging innuendos have invited surprising prospects—alluring an amiable British museum manager. However, there’s complications with this situation, because Robert still coerces through her emotions and has ways of captivating her. Being a visionary, Katrina can’t help but over think things about this man of her dreams she has chanced upon. Her livelihood was mostly easy going, paired with great relatives and relations, but now there are tense choices to be made. Violet Sparks’s ‘A Solitary Romance: Book 1’ will not dishearten. This is not your characteristic romantic read, but one with thrilling, intriguing scenes weaved throughout. It is bursting with passion and suspense. Sparks did a wonderful job keeping the sparks flying—no pun intended—yet keeping the story classy and clean. It you love clean romance you should really consider reading her work. Bravo!!
July 31, 2016
The overall under tone of romance in this story was what captured your interest. Long lost love and if it prevailed. However the author would reference Katrina as the auditor quite frequently that I was confused why her profession was like a third person. The drama kept you locked in each chapter and you wondered if secrets would ever be revealed the longer relationships carried on. The book did leave unanswered questions that I felt I could only give it 3 hearts. Based on content it is for mature adults. I am an independent reviewer for Romance Authors That Rock.
November 23, 2016
A Solitary Romance by Violet Sparks is Book 1 of the Only Love Series.
This was a story I had a hard time reading and really had to push myself into finishing. While it had lots of potential with it’s second chance concept, it just failed for me. Between the bullyish Robert and uncertain Katrina, the editing issues, and throwing around of job titles as if this is the persons name are just a few of the issues that put me off of the story.
An ARC was generously provided in exchange for an honest review of which this is both honest and completely voluntary.
This was a story I had a hard time reading and really had to push myself into finishing. While it had lots of potential with it’s second chance concept, it just failed for me. Between the bullyish Robert and uncertain Katrina, the editing issues, and throwing around of job titles as if this is the persons name are just a few of the issues that put me off of the story.
An ARC was generously provided in exchange for an honest review of which this is both honest and completely voluntary.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews